Teaching English Volunteer Project in Laos

While there are significant efforts to improve the quality of education in Laos, serious problems persist, including an insufficient number of qualified (and motivated) teachers, deficient school infrastructure and low student enrollment. These problems are visible in Vang Vieng, a small community where the growing tourist market is demanding skills such as English speaking ability. The failure to communicate with foreign travelers is the most significant obstacle for locals in search of decent jobs in the tourism sector.

The education project connects resource-poor schools and our own training center in Vang Vieng with volunteers so that the students can obtain valuable English language skills. Additionally, volunteers bring new ideas and perspectives that promote cross-cultural understanding. The educational project connects poor resourced schools and our training center with volunteers, so that students can acquire valuable English language skills. In addition, volunteers bring new ideas and perspectives that promote intercultural understanding.

What do volunteers do?

Volunteers work three to five hours a day teaching English to children between 5 and 17. Many of the classes are overcrowded, and it is not uncommon for 40 students to be in a class. As the level of English of some teachers can be very low, volunteers should expect a high level of independence
in designing classes and leading them. Volunteers teach together or, if needed, on their own.

We offer after-school English lessons in our own school under our own management. Children and young people who are not in de possibility for extracurricular activities can go to extra after-school activities for lessons with a prospect on later employment
in the tourism sector.

English is part of the primary school curriculum. The problem is that not every primary school has an English teacher. We assist local teachers in primary school so that as many children as possible are introduced to English. These lessons are a big challenge because the target group is still young (between 7 and 10 years old) and English is very limited.

Sometimes other schools also come to ask for help, such as the local “college”. When we have enough volunteers we also try to provide them with.

Requirements:
Teaching training is not necessary, we ask that you have the following characteristics:

At least an advance level of English.
The creativity and initiative to lead classes with limited resources.